Salzburg, Austria

Hellbrunn Palace was built 400 years ago by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg as a summer residence and pleasure palace, and I’m sure it fit the bill perfectly.  The palace is stunning and the grounds are lovely, boasting fountains and an outdoor theater (and today a children’s play area).  Plenty of tour buses make this stop while zipping around Salzburg–often to pay homage to the gazebo that now stands on its property.    It’s the gazebo from The Sound of Music movie.

What drew us in yesterday was the Christmas Market.  As we pulled into Salzburg for a few days, we made this our first stop, and it surely did not disappoint.  Hellbrunn has one of the nicest Christmas Markets I’ve ever seen– local craftsman and bakers selling really nice goods and delicious food.  There’s also a small animal petting zoo/creche area that is absolutely charming and really sets the tone for the season as we creep up to the humble nativity scene of Christmas day.

For me, this market was perfection.